Head coach Ruben Amorim says that switching Manchester United's formation due to media scrutiny would have been "the finish" for him.
For the first time against Newcastle, Amorim abandoned his trademark back three formation with wide defenders and opted to use an standard back four with two central midfielders.
Amorim acknowledged this effectively functioned as a six-man defensive block in the closing phase as his squad held on for a crucial result - securing just their second-ever clean sheet of the season.
Despite he once memorably remarked that even the highest authority could pressure him to tweak his system, Amorim maintains the ability to utilize different setups has consistently been part of his strategy.
Yet, he emphasizes he could only implement the change when his team were performing at an acceptable level - otherwise it would look as if he was succumbing to outside noise.
"When I arrived here the previous campaign, I understood maybe I don't have the players to perform effectively in that system, but it was the start of a journey," he stated.
"We were trying to forge an philosophy. Now is a separate time. We lack a lot of personnel, and we must adapt, so they see why we are switching things up.
"The change isn't because of the influence of you guys, or the supporters.
"When media criticize changing the system all the time, I cannot make a change because the players will understand I'm changing because of you and I believe that is a disaster for the coach.
"When we are performing strongly in our preferred setup, that becomes the opportunity to adapt.
"We will develop into a stronger squad because when all the players are available, we are not planning to use a back three in every match."
Injury Crisis Persist
With just two wins in their last eight outings prior to beating Newcastle, it is debatable whether Amorim is right to claim his team have been playing well.
He is, though, operating with a depleted squad, with multiple first-team players already confirmed absent for the upcoming home game against struggling Wolves.
That total will grow if midfielder Mason Mount fails to recover the knock that led to his withdrawal from the Newcastle game at the interval.
Captain Bruno Fernandes is a key name who will miss the Wolves clash, despite the fact he is understood to be pushing his manager to allow him to return following his hamstring problem.
"Bruno is already telling me he needs to train," revealed Amorim. "But there is absolutely no possibility he is going to play against Wolves. No way. That's definitive."
Fernandes' Influence Is Unwavering
Nevertheless, the Portuguese star will likely still be deeply engaged, as whereas most unavailable players view matches from the stands, Fernandes was seen keeping a close eye on the pre-match routines from the mouth of the tunnel before the Newcastle game.
Amorim anticipates his leader to continue providing guidance.
"The guy is a leader," he stated. "He cannot be that guy that when he is not playing, he's silent and offering advice. He's always communicating. That is the reason he's the skipper.
"He has negative aspects at times - his mannerisms he moves his arms - but he has a multitude of positive qualities. After he recovers, he heads to observe the other guys practicing. There are a lot of aspects that go unnoticed.
"I'm not sure if he desires my position or not, but he's a leader. He is a leader."
Return Timeline for Key Personnel
While the precise timeline for Fernandes' return - and that of other unavailable stars like Kobbie Mainoo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire - remains unclear, by the end of January, the club will see the return of Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo from continental duty.
